Poinsettia plant named ‘Duemetro’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Duemetro’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; early flowering habit; inflorescences with red-colored flower bracts; excellent post-production longevity; and resistance to  Botrytis .

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Duemetro’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duemetro’.

The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new freely branching Poinsettia cultivars withattractive floral bract coloration and excellent post-productionlongevity.

The new Poinsettia originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in October, 1999 of a proprietary selection of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 95-752-001, not patented,as the female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection ofEuphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number E-005-24, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Duemetro wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Rheinberg, Germany in December, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany sinceDecember, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this newPoinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Duemetro has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duemetro’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duemetro’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early flowering habit.    -   4. Inflorescences with red-colored flower bracts.    -   5. Relatively large cyathia.    -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.    -   7. Resistance to Botrytis.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants ofthe new Poinsettia differed from plants of the female parent selectionin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had more cyathia per        inflorescence than plants of the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants ofthe new Poinsettia differed from plants of the male parent selection inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the male parent selection        differed in flower bract shape.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had more cyathia per        inflorescence than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Poinsettiacultivar Fiscor, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,364. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the newPoinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Fiscor in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were larger than plants of the        cultivar Fiscor.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had longer internodes than        plants of the cultivar Fiscor.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger inflorescences than        plants of the cultivar Fiscor.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger flower bracts than        plants of the cultivar Fiscor.    -   5. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger cyathia than plants        of the cultivar Fiscor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia. These photograph shows the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Poinsettia. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duemetro’ grown in acontainer.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotograph and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Rheinberg, Germany during the winter in a glass-coveredgreenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial Poinsettia production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 22° C. andlight levels were about 4,500 lux. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants weregrown in 13-cm containers and pinched one time. Plants were about 16weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima cultivar Duemetro.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 95-752-001, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number E-005-24, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About nine days at 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 13 days at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant            habit; inverted triangle. Inflorescences positioned above            the foliar plane. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 41.5 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about four to five lateral branches develop after            pinching. Length: About 21.5 cm. Diameter: About 5.5 mm.            Internode length: About 1.7 cm to 1.8 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 12.2 cm. Width: About 7.9 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Lobed; dentate. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: 138A. Fully expanded            foliage, upper surface: 139A; venation, 146B. Fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: 137A to 137B; venation, 146B to            146C. Petiole: Length: About 6.1 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 187A to 187B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound            corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the            cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are            not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Inflorescences positioned            above the foliage.        -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter; inflorescence            initiation and development is induced under long nyctoperiod            conditions. Early flowering, response time is about eight            weeks.        -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production            longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good            substance and bract color for about two months under            interior conditions.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 30.7 cm. Height (depth):            About 5.5 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15. Length:            About 15.7 cm. Width: About 10 cm. Shape: Ovate; slightly            lobed. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire;            slightly lobed. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing or            transitional bracts, upper surface: 46A. Developing or            transitional bracts, lower surface: 53B. Fully developed            bracts, upper surface: 46A to 46B; color becoming closer to            46C to 46D with development. Fully developed bracts, lower            surface: 46C to 46D. Venation, upper and lower surfaces:            Similar to flower bract color. Bract petiole: Length: About            2.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            53A to 53B.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About ten to twelve. Diameter            of cyathia cluster: About 3 cm. Length: About 9.7 mm. Width:            About 6 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: 143B. Color,            mature: 143B to 143C. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium:            About one or two. Size: About 4.7 mm. Color: 17A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1.25 mm.            Strength: Strong to moderately strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 143C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About            ten. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther            color: 187A. Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: 9A.            Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: One. Pistil length: About            1 cm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 144B. Stigma            shape: Crested. Stigma color: 59A to 59B. Ovary color: 144A.            Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    shown to be resistant to Botrytis. Plants of the new Poinsettia have    not been shown to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common    to Poinsettias.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 12° C. to about    40° C.

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Duemetro’ as illustratedand described.